Loft Insulation - Is this a scam?

NorthYorkie

Has anyone recently had a telephone call from an outfit calling themselves the Residential Green Standards Centre?

A couple of years ago, I had top-up insulation installed in my loft under the Energy Companies Obligation. Today I had a call from the above firm saying that it had been discovered that this insulation had been shown to create moisture and mould. They offered to do a free survey and report. If problems were found they would spray on replacement foam insulation which would be subsidised by the Government. I got suspicious when the young man making the call went silent every time I asked a question, particularly when asked how much it would cost me. He kept saying that his boss would ring me in 15 minutes to explain and arrange an appointment for a survey. No such call ever came, thus confirming my suspicions. 

roddydogs

Yes........ 

TadleyBaggie

As soon as they mentioned spray on foam I would have hung the phone up.

FreeBear

I have had the "free Survey" - It is a con to get round the OFCOM rules on cold calling TPS registered numbers. It is a sales pitch for spray foam - For the vast majority of UK housing stock, it is inappropriate, damaging, and seriously devalues your property (some lenders refuse to mortgage properties with this stuff).

As said, I had the "free survey" as I wanted the details of the company involved so that they could be reported to the ICO & OFCOM. Once the information was collected from the sales oik, he got told in no uncertain terms, where to go, and what to do with my data.

Scam, con, and in breach of any number of regulations (if you are TPS registered). Do NOT have spray foam installed in your home.

NorthYorkie

Thanks everyone, you have confirmed my suspicions!

[Deleted User]

When I moved mortgage providers a few years ago, they inspected the loft for the foam as my new mortgage provider wouldn't secure a mortgage on the property if it had.  A house sold nearby had to have their roof redone last year, you could see the foam stuck on the beams.  It cost them a fortune to replace.

nj6013

I was called by this number: 0204 587 6201. There were TWO women on the line who did not seem to be experienced call centre agents (I would guess English and the call seems to have come from London) They asked about my loft insulation and whether I was in an age range (45 - 79 ?) . They seem to suggest that if my insulation was more than 18 months old and supplied as part of a govt energy saving scheme, it might be a dangerous substance and they wanted to sent a surveyor around.  When I asked who they represented or worked for, they hung up.  Sounds dodgy

EssexHebridean

The WhoCalledMe site says the following

Who Called Me? > 02045876201

02045876201

This number is operated by Voxbone SA and is primarily associated with Home Energy Scam. While its dialling code associates it with London, England, it utilises VoIP technology. As a result, the actual location of the caller cannot be determined.

Link to the full info: https://who-called.co.uk/Number/02045876201

FreeBear

nj6013 said:

I was called by this number: 0204 587 6201. There were TWO women on the line who did not seem to be experienced call centre agents (I would guess English and the call seems to have come from London) They asked about my loft insulation and whether I was in an age range (45 - 79 ?) . They seem to suggest that if my insulation was more than 18 months old and supplied as part of a govt energy saving scheme, it might be a dangerous substance and they wanted to sent a surveyor around.  When I asked who they represented or worked for, they hung up.  Sounds dodgy

I had the same type of call last week too. She started to tell me that the Asthma Association has found it a major source of mould which is hazardous to health. Here is what they have to say on the subject - https://www.blog.asthmaandlung.org.uk/blog/loft-insulation-scams

Had been a victim of one of their surveyors salesmen earlier in the year. He had stuck his head up in to my loft, declared that the fibreglass insulation was well past it's life span, and could put his hand down inside the cavity. Later in the conversation, he claimed that fibreglass & mineral wool insulation only has a life span of 5-10 years... His recommendation was to remove all existing loft insulation and spray foam on the underside of the roof.

Mr Rodreguez is a charlatan and a con man as well as being poorly versed in house design & construction. Loft insulation has a life span of 80 years or more, and I don't have a cavity for him to get his hand in to (solid 9" brick wall on the upper half). Further more, spray foam will devalue a house and lead to damp & rot in the loft space.

Any cold caller claiming that fibreglass/mineral wool insulation is a health hazard, not fit for purpose, or at the end of life is a con artist. If they call again, refer them to Arkell-v-Pressdram.